THE FUTURE OF NATIVE AVIFAUNA 219 



steads there will also occur an increase of cats tame, half- wild, 

 and wild, but strange as it may appear, this fact will not neces- 

 sarily be fatal. On the contrary, in certain Hawke's Bay swamps I have 

 found by far the larger number of rails' nests containing unspoiled eggs 

 close to cottages. Injurious as the cat may be to the rail, its presence is 

 still more baneful to the rat ; relatively that is, the cat has actually come 

 to exert a protective influence. No one of these species is common on 

 Tutira, but their habits of concealment make them appear more rare than 

 is truly the case. Of native birds that have bred in my day in Tutira, 

 there remain two only to be considered the Parrot (Nestor meridion- 

 cdis) and the Parrakeet (Platycercus Novce Zealdndice). Neither species 

 can survive locally in the absence of considerable areas of forest. 



Such, under the conditions foreshadowed, is the future of the Tutira 

 avifauna. In my sketch nothing whatever has been allowed for senti- 

 ment, sense of beauty, even for intelligent appreciation of usefulness. 

 Yet surely in the future we may anticipate that a sufficiency of leisure 

 will be the birthright of every man. If that be so, one step and a 

 lengthy step towards rational content and wholesome happiness will 

 lie in nature study. I do not mean the ability to systematise and 

 classify I mean the watchfulness that will awake in the student, 

 fellowship, humour, and sympathy. 



So far the best that has been done towards the conservation of 

 species is but negative. At the best, man has here and there been 

 content not to destroy utterly. What is required is positive work, the 

 elimination of vermin and parasites, the study and augmentation of 

 special supplies of food, the careful reservation of nesting accommodation. 



At the worst, the species named will as species sparsely survive on 

 Tutira ; with a little trouble, a little watchfulness, a little expenditure of 

 time and money, the numbers of individuals could be vastly amplified. 



Baby Pukeko. 



